


Siren Song

by HesitantlyHipsterAlien



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, And Of Course - Freeform, Anxiety Attacks, Bullying, Drug and Alcohol Use, F/F, F/M, Josh being a good supportive friend, M/M, Magic Bullshit, Multi, Some angst, This fic is gonna be ridiculously au, accidental magic use, but yknow, its kinda just on a whim, kinda Todd centric, lots of pining, songfic type thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 20:04:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13465575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HesitantlyHipsterAlien/pseuds/HesitantlyHipsterAlien
Summary: Magic works in weird, weird ways. Todd knows this possibly a little more than some of his peers at Brakebills.From a young age, Todd has had the ability to weave magic into song. Though it took years for him to truly hone this ability, he's never really shown it to anyone. Because part of him feels like no one would really care. After all, his family hardly ever noticed.Josh, however, plans to convince Todd otherwise. Even if he has to take him on an adventure to Fillory to do that.





	Siren Song

A fourteen year old boy with brown curls and big eyes stands in front of a crowded auditorium. Under the harsh glow of the spotlight, he seems so much smaller and paler than he does when he slinks through the hallways. Even as he stares out into the blackness shrouding his peers faces, the boy seems to almost be trying to disappear into the gray sweater his mom bought him that's two sizes too big, or behind the guitar hanging off his shoulders. 

After a beat, he takes a shuddery inhale. Then, he begins a song that came out only four years prior to this moment, strumming and singing simultaneously.

_"Do you ever feel like breaking down_   
_Do you ever feel out of place_   
_Like somehow you just don't belong_   
_And no one understands you"_

Some students seem to light up. This is a song many of them are familiar with, and they've all related to it in some form of the way their less popular classmate seems to. Other students roll their eyes, deeming it best to wait out the emo kid because sitting through the lame talent show is still better than sitting in class. Three particular students- a football jock, a popular guy, and a cheerleader- stare back at the wiry form of Todd onstage with disdain. 

These are the three who've been bullying Todd since the sixth grade. These are the three who he, in his own head, is directing this song at. He wishes they knew just how they make him feel, or at least had some idea of how its always been for him. 

_"Do you ever wanna run away_   
_Do you lock yourself in your room_   
_With the radio on, turned up so loud_   
_That no one hears you screamin' "_

The chorus is meant to be the big finish. No one was given a big enough time slot to do a whole song in. Too many students enter. As he bridges into the prechorus, an accusatory expression dances across Todd's features for just a moment. 

_"No you don't know what its like_   
_Nothin' feels alright_   
_You don't know what its like_   
_To be like me"_

Anyone who glances at the trio notices something odd in this moment. The jock has turned three shades paler than he was moments ago. He's shaking like a leaf, his fists clenched. The popular guy and the cheerleader both appear to be crying. Some mistake this for sympathy, as if maybe the bullies are starting to feel some sort of sympathy for Todd. That is, in fact, part, of what is happening. 

_"To be hurt, to feel lost_   
_To be left out in the dark_   
_To be kicked when you're down_   
_To feel like you've been pushed around_   
_To be on the edge of breaking down_   
_And no one's there to save you_   
_No you don't know what its like_   
_Welcome to my life"_

A few people in the audience can be heard singing along by the end. The popular guy ducks out the auditorium door, and after that day, never shows his face in the school again. There is an applause- not a standing ovation, but close enough- and he does get told "Good job, Tom" (not quite his name, but he'll take it) by at least three of his classmates. Its the first day Todd doesn't feel totally invisible.

 

Shaking himself out of the dream-turned-2008-flashback, Todd blinks. One would think after nine years, he would have finally stopped feeling guilty for what he unknowingly did that day. But, of course, he hasn't. Taylor, Camden, and April may have made his life a living hell, but still, he'd never meant to harm them.

As it turns out, that day would be Todd's first experience with magic. His Simple Plan cover had a siren like effect on the three who'd been viciously bullying him for years. Camden ended up dropping out of school, later to be rumored to delve into some sort of drug use in order to make it past what happened that day. Taylor and April still regularly see counselors to this day.

In the minute-ish span that Todd had sang that day, they all experienced what Todd had felt over three years. In one minute. Todd only learned about this because Taylor wrote him a very extensive apology note that later ended up in his locker. After reading Taylor's words, Todd discovered something terrifying. He knew a bit about magic- his brother was going to Brakebills at that time- and he knew what using magic felt like. And singing had felt like that.

"Yo, Todd, you ready?" Josh's voice makes him jump a little. As he glances up from where he passed out in his bean bag chair last night, Josh strolls into the room, the button- much like Quentin's- that he uses to go back and forth from Fillory held in one hand. Todd sits up, grabbing his bag in one hand, and taking Josh's hand in his free one. As Josh pulls him to a stand, Todd asks the same question hes asked three times since this offer.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know, man, they don't really like me."

"That's just cause they don't know the Todd I know. Now, come on. Fillory is going to change your life for the better. Promise."

Sighing, Todd nods. He's not so sure he believes it, but Josh seems to. And maybe, just this once, its okay to put his faith in someone else. So, closing his eyes, Todd tightens his grip on Josh's hand as suddenly the two boys flicker out of the primaterial plane.


End file.
